GIFFORDS, TUCSON MARK ANNIVERSARY OF TRAGEDY -- POLITICO’s Seung Min Kim reports from Tucson: “Rep. Gabrielle Giffords led a crowd of thousands here on reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, making a triumphant return to her hometown Sunday to mark the anniversary of the shootings that nearly killed the three-term congresswoman one year ago. Standing alongside her husband Mark Kelly, the Arizona Democrat smiled during the evening memorial at the University of Arizona as she clearly and forcefully enunciated each word of the Pledge. ‘Gabby! Gabby! Gabby!’ the crowd chanted as Giffords, wearing a red scarf and a striped top, and Kelly walked to the center of the stage for the recitation. …

-- “Thousands — including Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Giffords’s parents, Gloria and Spencer — attended the hourlong vigil in the chilly Tucson air and waved glow sticks, cheered loudly and listened to several speakers pay tribute to the victims of the shooting rampage. One of those speakers was Kelly, who spoke about the ‘new realities’ that the shootings brought to this southern Arizona city, such as the ‘reality that for many of us, there are dreams for our families’ future that we’ll just have to let go.’

-- Sunday’s memorial events began in the morning with a chorus of bells that echoed throughout Tucson at precisely 10:11 a.m., the moment when authorities received the first 911 call alerting them of the rampage at a Safeway supermarket. … President Barack Obama telephoned Giffords on Sunday, telling the recovering lawmaker that he and his wife, Michelle, are keeping Giffords, the victims and their families, and Tucson in their thoughts and prayers. “The President expressed amazement at the courage and determination Rep. Giffords has shown along her incredible road to recovery, calling her an inspiration to his family and Americans across the country,” according to a readout from the White House.” http://politi.co/xQIzkv

-- Michael Wood, a construction worker in the crowd Sunday night, told The New York Times he was moved by the sight of Giffords reciting the pledge: “It gives you goose bumps … It’s good to see her. She looked really good.” http://nyti.ms/yo5KQr

-- Not taking any chances, law enforcement officials outfitted Giffords with a bullet-proof vest, notes The Arizona Republic’s Richard Ruelas. http://bit.ly/ziiZAP The Republic has a slideshow of the day’s events here: http://bit.ly/wQDgGQ

THE END OF ADVICE AND CONSENT? -- Jonathan Weisman writes on the long-term impact of appoint Richard Cordray for the New York Times: “To many Republicans and some constitutional scholars, President Obama’s decision last week to ignore a sitting Senate and sidestep the confirmation process for several appointees risked nothing short of an end to the Senate’s role of providing advice and consent on presidential appointments. … Eric Ueland, who was chief of staff to former Senator Bill Frist, said that using Mr. Obama’s logic, presidents could make recess appointments when the Senate chamber closed for as little as a night or a weekend. ‘If his position is ever upheld, it gives any president of any party at any time the undiluted power of naming any person to any position in the federal government,’ Mr. Ueland said. The White House counsel, Kathryn Ruemmler, said that such assertions were ‘belied by the Constitution, precedent and history.’ ‘The Senate is functionally in recess,’ Ms. Ruemmler said. ‘The Senate minority cannot by procedural trick and from an empty chamber prevent the president from performing his constitutional duties.’” http://nyti.ms/xLD9Nb

--Roll Call’s Steven T. Dennis and Humberto Sanchez also float the possibility that Obama isn’t done with his recess appointments: “Already having installed Richard Cordray as head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and appointed three National Labor Relations Board members, Obama could still choose to tap a number of stalled nominees in his effort to position himself as the champion of the middle class and consumers — the same theme struck in last week's appointments. While the White House isn't talking about possible recess appointments, White House spokesman Eric Schultz suggested last week that GOP blockades of Obama nominations may continue to be fair game. … Schultz refused to discuss specific posts, but with 181 nominations pending in the Senate — many for six months or more — Obama has plenty of nominees from which to choose.” Among the appointees Dennis and Sanchez discuss: Federal Housing Finance Agency nominee Joseph Smith, two Federal Reserve seats and FDIC nominee Martin Gruenberg. http://bit.ly/A70PNi

BOEHNER LEADS LATIN AMERICA CODEL – A news release will go out this morning: “House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is leading a seven-member congressional delegation to the top three export markets in Latin America, with stops planned for Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. The delegation will hold economic discussions with leaders of some of America’s most vital trading partners – nations that collectively import billions of dollars annually in products made by American workers. The visit, which comes at a time when the U.S. economy continues to struggle, will focus on jobs, energy, and economic security issues. “The mission of this visit is to help strengthen ties between the United States and our regional trading partners to support further economic activity that will help create new American jobs,” Boehner said.

--“In the coming weeks and months, the House will take action on the American Energy & Infrastructure Jobs Act, which will link expanded American energy production to high-priority infrastructure projects like roads and bridges in order to create more jobs. The delegation also will focus closely on energy issues – studying the economic impact of pro-energy domestic policies being implemented by nations such as Brazil, and visiting with American energy producers forced to create jobs overseas by excessive Washington laws that keep most U.S. energy resources on federal lands under lock and key. We look forward to a productive visit.”

--Joining Boehner’s CODEL: Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.), Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.), and Reps. Dan Boren (D-Okla.), Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), and Greg Walden (R-Ore.). SANTORUM IN S.C. -- With Congress still on break, our own Jonathan Allen catches up with Rick Santorum down in Greenville, S.C.: “By the time Rick Santorum walked through the door at Chiefs Wings and Firewater Sunday afternoon, it was clear he had already arrived. Not just on the national political level — where in the last 24 hours frontrunner Mitt Romney’s campaign has engaged him directly, liberal New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd has bashed him and ‘Saturday Night Live’ opened with a Santorum sketch this week — but where it matters most: in nominee-picking South Carolina. Here at the other end of the cultural universe, in the shadow of Bob Jones University’s fortress of religious conservatism, voters were anxious to hear the sudden contender speak about core values. And Santorum didn’t disappoint. He cast himself as the only conservative in the race with “conviction,” emphasizing values over the economic message he has preferred in recent stops in New Hampshire. “We’ve got a lot of candidates who just adapt to whatever the environment is; I don’t,” Santorum said to applause at a jam-packed sports bar.” http://politi.co/xI2F6B

BLANKLEY DEAD AT 63 -- “Tony Blankley, a conservative author and commentator who served as press secretary to Newt Gingrich during the 1990s, when Republicans took control of Congress, has died. He was 63,” The Associated Press reports. “Blankley, who had been suffering from stomach cancer, died Saturday night at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, his wife, Lynda Davis, said Sunday. In his long career as a political operative and pundit, his most visible role was as a spokesman for and adviser to Gingrich from 1990 to 1997. Gingrich became House Speaker when Republicans took control of the U.S. House of Representatives following the 1994 midterm elections. “He was a wonderful friend, a sage adviser, and a man who loved life,” said Gingrich and his wife, Callista, in a statement released Sunday. Earlier, Blankley spent six years in the Reagan administration in a variety of positions, including speechwriter and senior policy analyst. From 2002 to 2007, he served as editorial page editor of The Washington Times. In recent years, he also wrote a syndicated newspaper column and provided political commentary for CNN, NBC and NPR. He was also a regular panelist on “The McLaughlin Group.” http://politi.co/xiQBD7

BACHUS FIGHTS BACK -- In a Birmingham News op-ed, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) responds to the insider trading allegation leveled in Peter Schweizer’s “Throw Them All Out”: “Although the author asserts I was among those members who profited, like many Americans, my wife and I lost a third of the value of our mutual fund, stock and pension savings in 2008. The author further attempts to build animosity by claiming Congress is exempt from insider-trading laws. The truth is completely the opposite, as the director of enforcement for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has stated repeatedly under oath. I have never traded on insider information. … Books like this are a dime a dozen, because scandal sells, and distrust of Congress is at an all-time high.”

--On at least one point, Bachus seems to have cornered Schweizer: “[T]hen-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson received a disturbing private phone call from General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt on Sept. 8, 2008, about difficulties that GE was having financing its operations. The author theorizes with no justification that I may have been told this ‘inside information’ and personally profited by ‘shorting’ the company's stock. … The fundamental problem is I did not short-sell GE. I did the exact opposite and bought it on the belief it was a great company and was undervalued. Contacted by CNBC's Kudlow Report on Nov. 17, I agreed to debate the author on this claim and other untruths. He backed out at the last minute. Challenged by host Larry Kudlow during a later interview, he admitted he was wrong about GE.” http://bit.ly/zazu0f

HUDDLE QUESTION -- Why did Bachus wait until January 8 to write this op-ed? The 60 Minutes piece aired on November 13. Could it be the chatter about a possible primary challenge from state Sen. Scott Beason? http://bit.ly/yuCopq

SALAZAR TO FINALIZE AZ MINING BAN -- “Fending off pressure from the mining industry and congressional Republicans, the Obama administration is moving forward with a plan to ban new uranium mining claims on 1 million acres near the Grand Canyon,” The AP’s Matthew Day reports. “Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is expected to finalize a 20-year ban on new mining claims on public land surrounding the Grand Canyon at an event Monday in Washington. Salazar, who twice imposed temporary bans on new uranium claims, said last year that uranium remains an important part of a comprehensive energy strategy. But he said the Grand Canyon is a national treasure that must be protected.

-- “Republican members of Arizona's congressional delegation have lambasted temporary bans imposed by Salazar in 2009 and again last year. They say a permanent ban on the filing of new mining claims would eliminate hundreds of jobs and unravel decades of responsible resource development. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and other GOP lawmakers are backing legislation to prevent Salazar from moving forward with the 20-year ban.” http://bit.ly/zai7JO

KERREY IS A ‘NO’ FOR NEBRASKA -- AT LEAST FOR NOW -- Don Walton reports for the Lincoln Journal-Star: “However, before Kerrey might attempt to convince Nebraskans he should be their U.S. senator once again, he has to persuade himself. If he had to decide today whether to enter the 2012 Senate race, what would his answer be? ‘Today, probably no,’ Kerrey said. ‘I really have to persuade myself there is something I can do for Nebraska and for the country that is uniquely associated with my experience and talents,’ he said. ‘I don't want to just be one of 100 senators or just help Democrats hold their Senate majority. Neither of those considerations would persuade me.’ Kerrey, who served in the Senate from 1989 to 2001 before accepting the presidency of New School University in New York City, will be visiting with Nebraskans during the coming week as he moves toward a decision. That means traveling to some communities to ‘talk to as many people as I can face to face,’ he said. If he decides to run, a campaign structure already is in place. Paul Johnson, who managed Kerrey's past campaigns, would be his campaign manager, transferring the apparatus constructed for a possible re-election bid by Nelson into Kerrey's hands.” http://bit.ly/wUEmWC

GOOD MONDAY MORNING, JANUARY 9, 2012, and welcome to The Huddle, your play-by-play preview of the day’s congressional news. Please send tips, suggestions, comments, complaints, corrections to swong@politico.com. If you don't already, please follow me on Twitter @scottwongDC. Jake is @jakesherman, Jon is @jonallendc and Robillard is @PoliticoKevin. My new followers include, but are not limited to @lizrosej and @zeemolicious.

TODAY IN CONGRESS – Both the House and Senate are out this week.

PELOSI: RUN AGAINST US -- Appearing on CNN’s “State of the Union,” the House Minority Leader endorsed President Barack Obama’s plan to run against Congress in 2012. “I think he should run against this do-nothing Congress,” she told host Candy Crowley. Crowley pointed out that Obama doesn’t always distinguish between Democrats and Republicans when he’s bashing congress, but Pelosi dismissed that, saying: “It's not me. It's the Republican majority in the House of Representatives.” --Pelosi also took some time to (sort of) praise Ron Paul. “I have a great deal of respect for Ron Paul. He acts upon his convictions and he's a nice fellow in the Congress of the United States. He’s a gentleman.”

--The minority leader didn’t say the same of former Speaker Newt Gingrich, writes POLITICO’s Byron Tau: “House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi fired back at former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Sunday, after Gingrich described a 2008 climate change ad he made with Pelosi as ‘the dumbest single thing I’ve done.’ ‘Well, I don't want to make any comments about Newt Gingrich, he who has been fined $300,000 by the ethics committee — you think he'd consider that a big mistake,’ Pelosi said on CNN's ‘State of the Union.’ ‘Since you brought up my name in association with him as the dumbest thing he ever did, I think there is plenty of stiff competition for that honor as far as his activities are concerned,’ the California Democrat said. Gingrich has apologized to Republican voters for the 2008 ad that was partially organized by former Vice President Al Gore. But Pelosi said she had no regrets about making the ad with Gingrich.” http://politi.co/zfNmKZ

WHICH KENNEDY IS THAT? -- “When it comes to name recognition, Joseph Kennedy III is a political paradox. Many voters, even staunch Democrats, haven’t the faintest idea who he is. Yet everyone knows his family,” Peter Schworn writes for the Boston Globe, in a story that opens with several Fall River, Mass. residents trying to figure out exactly where the latest Kennedy to run for Congress fits on the family tree (he is Robert’s grandson and the son of Joseph Kennedy II, a former congressman). The story also features this quote, which highlights why Joesph III is a good bet to pick up to the fourth congressional district, recently vacated by Rep. Barney Frank: “‘The Republicans are for the rich,’ said Joseph Torres, 64, a retired construction worker, summing up the sentiment of many residents of the city’s north side. ‘The Kennedys are for the poor. They’ve had a lot of bad luck, but they are good people.’” http://b.globe.com/xMQBow

GALLEGLY OUT -- “Elton Gallegly, a veteran Republican member of Congress, will not seek reelection this year, avoiding a difficult race with another GOP incumbent after the redrawing of California’s political boundaries placed their homes in the same district,” Jim Puzzanghera and Richard Simon write for the Los Angeles Times. “Gallegly, 67, a former mayor of Simi Valley, has served in the U.S. House since 1987 and is best known for his efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. He recently became chairman of the House judiciary subcommittee that oversees immigration.” http://lat.ms/wUnQbY

GOSAR SWITCHES DISTRICTS -- Dan Nowicki and Ronald J. Hansen report for the Arizona Republic: “U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar announced Saturday that he will abandon his competitive home congressional district in northeast Arizona and instead run for re-election in a new, Republican-dominated rural district to the west. Gosar's shift had been rumored since the state's Independent Redistricting Commission adopted a congressional map last month that put the Flagstaff Republican's home in a district that would be more favorable to Democrats. … While the district jump may allow Gosar to avoid a tough rematch in the 1st Congressional District against former one-term U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick, it also sets up a potentially bruising GOP primary battle. Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu announced his candidacy Wednesday, and state Sen. Ron Gould, R-Lake Havasu City, and possibly others could join the fray in the new and safely Republican 4th Congressional District.” http://bit.ly/wT3WAL

FRIDAY’S TRIVIA WINNER – Jeffrey Greenspan was first to correctly answer that Sen. Clair Engle, unable to speak due to a brain tumor surgery, pointed to his eye to signify an “aye” vote to end the filibuster to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

TODAY’S TRIVIA – Huddle reader Andrew Kristofik offers today’s question: What state did Congress forget to officially admit to the union, eventually leading years later to a retroactive resolution doing so?

First person to correctly answer gets a mention in the next Huddle. Email me at swong@politico.com

WEATHER -- Scattered showers today, with highs in the upper 40s, according to ABC7’s Steve Rudin.

** A message from the Stop The HIT Coalition: The Health Insurance Tax (HIT) drives up health care costs for small businesses, seniors, state Medicaid programs and middle-income Americans. The HIT is estimated to cost hardworking American families an additional $5,000 over a decade. And since the cost and consequences of the HIT increase over time, America’s small businesses and hardworking families are facing a bigger HIT every year. This translates to real jobs for businesses and real wages for families. That’s why the Stop The HIT Coalition – representing the nation’s small business owners and their employees – is working hard to repeal the HIT before it causes even more damage. Congress, please stop the HIT. Once and for all. http://bit.ly/1iE6tfW **

Authors:

About The Author

Scott Wong covers transportation for POLITICO Pro, and authors The Huddle, POLITICO’s popular morning tipsheet on Congress. He was a congressional reporter with the publication from 2010 to 2012.

He reported from Tucson, Ariz., after the deadly shooting rampage that severely injured Rep. Gabby Giffords and helped break a story about Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill’s private plane that led to her admission she owed more than $300,000 in state property taxes.

He got his professional start in journalism covering local government for two small newspapers in his native San Francisco Bay Area. He later became a staff writer for The Arizona Republic, where he covered the Arizona statehouse and Phoenix City Hall.

After graduating from UCLA, he spent a year teaching English in a rural mountain village in Japan. He is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association, and lives with his wife and daughter in Washington.